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For a few months now, we've all been wondering why there's been such a cloud of secrecy from Guillermo and PJ regarding progress on The Hobbit. Well, today we got wind of what could be the biggest story so far about this much anticipated film: a report that negotiations are under way for a third film!

Interesting....Hobbit was never meant to be as deep as LOTR. Do we really need 3 movies for what essentially is a children's novel?

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Well, if you include the time space between The Hobbit and LOTR, plus The Silmarillion, and all of the 'Unfinished Tales', there's more than enough material for 3 more movies in the 'prequel' stage of this series. If they start with The Hobbit, then I would imaging that much of the 2nd and 3rd movies would be 'Flashback' stories, as well as the story bridging the gap up to the beginning of the LOTR.

Not sure why you think that? It's my understanding that it's the amount of material they're dealing with that's dictating the request for a third film. With a series like this, I think the more they can put on the screen, the better. Tolkien's books are vast with details and additional stories that tie into the main theme.

The Hobbit was written as a childrens book...shorter and at a much lower grade reading level than the LOTR. I read it immediately after watching Return of the King. It is a quick read. I cannot definitively state that 3 movies is too many but it sure seems like it could be.

actually the three movies will be directed by the director of Hell Boy, Jackson is only there for help.

And frankly, I prefer calling him the director of Pan's Labyrinth... I'm actually rather thrilled that DelToro is directing, with Jackson behind... I like DelToro's universe (even if Hellboy is clearly not my favorite! I guess it's just the character...) and Jackson, well, he made LOTR...

_________________________________________"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." - Victor Hugo.

good grief, three films from the Hobbit? It's a relatively concise and straightforward fantasy quest, three would be far too longwinded, imo.

Man... did any of you even READ the article? The Hobbit would only be ONE movie. The other 2 films will bridge the gap between The Hobbit and LOTR, and would also tell much of the other back stories related to the 2 tales.

Man... did any of you even READ the article? The Hobbit would only be ONE movie. The other 2 films will bridge the gap between The Hobbit and LOTR, and would also tell much of the other back stories related to the 2 tales.

Unless I'm missing something, the article doesn't say that 2 films would bridge the gap between the Hobbit and LOTR, it only says that the possible 3rd film would provide some wizards backstory. Besides, it's nothing concrete, just rumours from an anonymous "source", more like who's-gonna-be-the-next-villain-in-Batman3 kind of news for now...

Our insider also mentioned some legal wrangling with the Tolkien Estate to acquire additional rights to materials not currently under license which would provide the bulk of the plot for the third movie. What specifically this could be is a guess, but our source seems to imply delving into the back-story of the Istari (Wizards) including Gandalf and Saruman’s youth in Valinor. The inclusion of other young wizards at the academy would provide an opportunity for cameos from LOTR actors who’s story arc doesn’t fit into The Hobbit. The latter would go a long way toward explaining recent cryptic quotes from LOTR actors about possible appearances in The Hobbit.

_________________________________________"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." - Victor Hugo.

Unless I'm missing something, the article doesn't say that 2 films would bridge the gap between the Hobbit and LOTR, it only says that the possible 3rd film would provide some wizards backstory. Besides, it's nothing concrete, just rumours from an anonymous "source", more like who's-gonna-be-the-next-villain-in-Batman3 kind of news for now...

Our insider also mentioned some legal wrangling with the Tolkien Estate to acquire additional rights to materials not currently under license which would provide the bulk of the plot for the third movie. What specifically this could be is a guess, but our source seems to imply delving into the back-story of the Istari (Wizards) including Gandalf and Saruman's youth in Valinor. The inclusion of other young wizards at the academy would provide an opportunity for cameos from LOTR actors who's story arc doesn't fit into The Hobbit. The latter would go a long way toward explaining recent cryptic quotes from LOTR actors about possible appearances in The Hobbit.

True. But it's also common knowledge the there were 2 films planned originally, and that even then, the first film was the one that going to focus mostly on The Hobbit.

Love The Hobbit. Read it more times than I can count. But it is a book that can easily be made into one single film of under three hours. What they are doing are taking other pieces of Silmarillion, etc. and piecing together three films. Lightning rarely strikes twice, so I would rather they just do The Hobbit, make a great great single film and be done with this.

Just my opinion. I hope they prove me wrong wrong wrong.

Jackson will have little involvement in this. He is only a head figure. It's Deltoro's baby.

oink, As others have already stated, The Hobbit was originally written by JRR Tolkien as a children's book, but it is also a prequel to LoTR, so essentially it is both. So it can be read and enjoyed as a child and then be reread and enjoyed as an adult. Either way it is a classic, and well worth reading, especially if you've seen the movies, you'll get a good idea of some of the backstory they allude to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rutgar

Man... did any of you even READ the article? The Hobbit would only be ONE movie. The other 2 films will bridge the gap between The Hobbit and LOTR, and would also tell much of the other back stories related to the 2 tales.

They don't say that. Actually The Hobbit was always meant to be the two movies, and I suppose they can interweave the 3rd "lost tales" stuff into the whole content of all 3 to fill up the extra space.

The problem is that Ian McKellen (who's already been cast to return as Gandalph) and especially Christopher Lee are getting pretty old, so if they're going to make these movies they better move fast- or at least shoot their shots because as I hear it, both are not well.

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Actually The Hobbit was always meant to be the two movies, and I suppose they can interweave the 3rd "lost tales" stuff into the whole content of all 3 to fill up the extra space.

No. The bulk of the Hobbit was going to be in the first movie. The orignal plan was to pick up with the Battle of Five Armies on the second film, and then use the rest as a 'bridge' to the already existing LOTR films.

No. The bulk of the Hobbit was going to be in the first movie. The orignal plan was to pick up with the Battle of Five Armies on the second film, and then use the rest as a 'bridge' to the already existing LOTR films.

I must be reading it differently than you because I see no such thing.

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I must be reading it differently than you because I see no such thing.

My main point was to the people that kept asking how can the Hobbit be a 3 film epic? I'm saying that the article DOES NOT indicate that. And taking from other articles, only ONE film will mainly be the Hobbit (with the second film picking up at Battle of Five Armies). Other than that, what the other two films will be, is up for conjecture (other than the 'bridging'... But they won't all be 'The Hobbit'.

Ah, well more doesn't necessarily mean better. While I like DeTorro it looks like we could be waiting quite a while for this movie/series. Right now release is set at 2012, and I suspect if they release as a trilogy they'll do it on a 'one a year schedule' like LoTR.

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Ah, well more doesn't necessarily mean better. While I like DeTorro it looks like we could be waiting quite a while for this movie/series. Right now release is set at 2012, and I suspect if they release as a trilogy they'll do it on a 'one a year schedule' like LoTR.

Yeah, that blew chunks while going throught it. But once it was all complete and we had the full extended editions, then it was all worth it. So with that in mind, I guess we can look for the Extended Editions of The Hobbit Trilogy on Blu-ray in about 6 years?

As I said earlier, since Ian McKellen state of health is in question, I'd assume they'll probably shoot his shots for the whole movie up front and work around it (in case he dies during production). Same goes for Chrisopher Lee who's close to 90 (if he's in the movie, which is uncertain at this stage).

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What I've read over the last few months agrees with what Rutgar is saying. The original plan was 2 movies, the first being the Hobbit and the second bridging the gap between the Hobbit and LotR.

Tolkien's universe is rich with content but IIRC 90% of the Silmarillion occurs before the Hobbit. Plus, doesn't Christopher Tolkien still own the rights to the Silmarillion? He's sworn he'd never let it be filmed.

Plus, doesn't Christopher Tolkien still own the rights to the Silmarillion? He's sworn he'd never let it be filmed.

It's such a huge mess it's pretty much unfilmable anyways. Regardless, money solves everything, and I'm sure they can come to some sort of an agreement. There are so many of those "Lost Tales" books to plum there's practically an infinite amount of material to work with anyways.

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